


Blame it on the Weatherman

by Dresupi



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Morning Show (TV 2019)
Genre: Age Difference, Bad Puns, Blind Date, But they don't harp on it, Couch Sex, Crossover Pairings, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Developing Relationship, Dorks in Love, F/M, Falling In Love, First Meetings, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Love Confessions, Meet-Cute, Older Man/Younger Woman, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:01:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26374642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dresupi/pseuds/Dresupi
Summary: Darcy meets Yanko Flores in a storm shelter in Kansas, but the tornado that drove them there is the least chaotic thing that happens after that.Or:The one where Darcy dates the weatherman and freaking loves it
Relationships: Darcy Lewis/Yanko Flores
Comments: 11
Kudos: 30





	Blame it on the Weatherman

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thestanceyg](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thestanceyg/gifts).



> Okay so
> 
> I blame thestanceyg and the pandemic for this fic.
> 
> I watched The Morning Show at the beginning of quarantine, and the second I saw Yanko Flores, I knew I was screwed, because I LOVE Nestor Carbonell and I have ever since Lost. AND he played a dorky meteorologist on top of that? Yes, please.
> 
> So I started talking with Stancey, and one thing led to another, 12k words later, here we are. With a crack ship so cracky, one of the characters didn't even have a tag on ao3 yet. at least, not one recognized when I went to tag the characters.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy this. 
> 
> Here's a moodboard I made:

Darcy took a deep breath, trying not to glance over her shoulder at the funnel cloud bearing down on them.

“Darce… c’mon!” Ian grabbed her hand and yanked her forward towards the storm shelter. The rain was pelting them from all sides, it felt like. Her hair was soaked and sticking to her forehead, her forearms stung a little from the way it smacked against her.

She willed her feet to move and followed Ian down the stairs and into the storm cellar.

The woman who owned the house, the one letting them take readings reached out and squeezed Darcy’s shoulder as she walked by. She went up the stairs slightly to pull the door closed, and a man who was seated sort of leaned up against the dirt wall jumped up to help her.

The nice-helper-outer was dressed in jeans and a light pullover, but what struck Darcy as odd was that he didn’t look like he should be wearing that. Which, arguably, was a weird thought to be having in the middle of a goddamn twister.

He was yelling something to the woman, something that became words when the door closed. The woman bolted it in place, and his words registered in her ears for the first time.

“--High-pressure front,” he said. “This was almost the perfect storm.”

“Perfect or no, I really hope it leaves our roof alone,” the woman said, plopping down on the floor near Darcy. She reached out and patted Darcy’s knee. “You guys okay, sweetheart?”

Darcy nodded, her eyes on the door, which was rattling like it was about to get ripped from the hinges.

The woman followed her gaze and patted her again. “Don’t pay that no mind. It always does that. Did you all get your reading?”

Ian answered. “We got enough of one for our purposes, thank you.”

“Oooh, readings?” Pullover-and-jeans said, “Graduate students?”

“Assistants, actually,” Darcy said with a smirk. “Haven’t quite made it back to grad school yet.”

“You would if you ever so much as looked at the application,” Ian muttered under his breath.

“Hey, _MOM_ , maybe now isn’t the time,” she snapped.

Ian sighed and started fiddling with the app on his phone.

Darcy used the time to glance around the rest of the shelter. There were a couple of dusty kids, the woman’s husband, and a guy with a camera on his shoulder crouching in the corner. The camera had TMS stamped on the side and that’s when it dawned on Darcy.”

“Holy gumballs, you’re that weather guy…” Her mind suddenly went blank. What was his name? She didn’t watch The Morning Show, she was more of a Good Morning America gal herself.

“Yanko Flores,” the man supplied. “It’s an odd one, you either remember it or you don’t.”

Darcy smiled weakly, suddenly realizing why he looked kind of wrong in this environment. He was usually in suits and ties, pointing at a green screen map on Jane’s television whenever she went over there for breakfast.

Jane had the hots for him. Jane, and Wanda as well, now that she thought about it. Darcy hadn’t seen the draw. He was handsome, sure, but not in an ‘omggggg do you think he wears boxers or briefs?’ kind of way.

“That’s the one,” she said, chuckling. “Sorry about that, I don’t actually watch the Morning Show, but my friend does, so it’s like… on whenever I go over there in the mornings.”

Yanko smiled. “Well, tell your friend thank you.”

“Her name’s Jane. Can I tell her _you_ said ‘thank you’, she’s kind of got a crush.”

His face blushed an adorably dark shade of pink as he looked down at his hands. “Of course you can, I mean… just whatever you need to tell her, or want to tell her, go for it. When we get out of here, I could… give you an autograph maybe?”

“Oh my gosh, yes! She would love that!” Darcy grinned widely just as something heavy hit the ground right above them.

She gulped, reached out for Ian’s hand.

“It’s not here yet,” Yanko said. “You’ll know because we wouldn’t be able to talk to each other if it were directly overhead.”

“Nah, we wouldn’t,” the woman beside her piped up. “It’d sound like a damn freight train right on top of us.”

“It shouldn’t hit here, but tornados can be difficult to predict,” he continued. “It was moving in a north by northeast hook just north of _us_ , but sometimes smaller funnels can form in the wake and wreak just as much havoc as the main storm cloud.”

“I didn’t even know it was supposed to get all twirly,” Darcy said. “We were just trying to get storm pressure readings for my boss, and--”

“Oh yes, this is prime tornado weather,” Yanko said. “You can tell if you have access to radar, the way the storm system forms a hook shape. It’s the two pressure fronts dueling for control. And they both lose. Or win, whichever way you look at it, and then a tornado happens.

The wind outside quieted down.

“Yeah, it’s moving on,” the woman said.

Darcy released Ian’s hand and rubbed her sweaty palms on her lap. “How long before we can get out and get the eff outta dodge?”

“Give it ten minutes,” Yanko said. “Just to make sure there aren’t any smaller funnels like I mentioned before. “In the meantime, I can get you that autograph…” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a notepad. He tore a sheet off. “You said her name’s Jane?”

“Yeah, it’s Jane.”

He pressed the paper against his bent knee and wrote something on it. “I got your friend’s name, I never got yours.”

“What? I’m sure I gave it there at some point…” Darcy teased. “It’s Darcy. Darcy Lewis. This here’s my assistant, Ian Boothby.”

“You’re an assistant’s assistant?” Yanko said with a small chuckle.

“I am, and my mum is so proud of me,” Ian smirked and pulled out his phone. “I’ve got a signal. I’m calling in.”

“Well, I’m pleased to meet you, Darcy Lewis.”

“You too, Yanko Flores,” she replied, grinning a little as he reached out and shook her hand. His palms felt warm and not at all sweaty like hers probably were.

“Sorry it was under such… turbulent terms, but I hope if we meet again, it won’t be in a storm shelter.”

She laughed. “You doing a report tonight?”

“It’ll be on the news in the morning.”

“Cool, I’ll check it out,” she said.

He returned the grin, but then his cameraman said something to him, and Ian was dragging her out of the shelter and back to their car where they’d gotten everything packed up before the sudden retreat into the shelter. They had quite a drive to get back to Topeka. Then catch some shut-eye and be on the first flight out in the morning.

Darcy glanced back once before she ducked out of the shelter, wondering if maybe she too would be joining Yanko’s very small and non-accredited fan club.

She wasn’t the type to harbor crushes, so she figured probably not.

Ducking into the passenger seat, Ian chuckled to himself.

“What?” Darcy asked.

“You.”

“I’m sure I deserve it, but what about me?”

“You and your type.”

“My type?”

“Yes. Tall, dark, and dorky.”

She squawked out a sound that was probably derisive, but definitely defiant. “I don’t have a type.”

Ian guffawed louder. “Darcy, Darcy, Darcy.”

“Ian, Ian, Ian… just because we shared a kiss when the dark elves came doesn’t mean you know me, my friend.”

“No, it doesn’t. But the near-constant best-friendship we’ve maintained ever since does.”

“Pfft, so you know me better than I know myself, that doesn’t mean…” she trailed off. “I mean, that technically _does_ mean you’re right in this instance, but like hell I”m ever going to admit that.”

He laughed, and Darcy reached down to turn on the radio, filling the car with the musical stylings of Twenty-One Pilots until they got back to the hotel and she could go fall apart over some guy in peace.

“Stop laughing at me,” she muttered.

“Not laughing at you. Just waiting for you to catch up. It’s fun watching your friend fall for someone. I suggest you try it sometime.”

“I’ll remember that the next time we’re in the lab and Katrina walks by.”

Ian paused for a long moment, his mouth hanging open before he closed it with a snap. “Alright, I think that’s enough…” he turned up the volume and Darcy smirked to herself.

* * *

It was a sunny spring morning when she decided to forego the subway and just walk to work today. It had been grossly cold for months and this was the first time she could go out without her heavy-sleeping-bag-esque overcoat on, so she decided to enjoy it.

Plus, without the puffy overcoat, she wouldn’t have the necessary padding to ride on the subway, and she always, without fail, got elbowed in the ribs.

She’d walked about a quarter of the way there and regretted her decision, but she’d missed her subway ride and didn’t feel like calling an Uber.

And then she tripped in a crack on the sidewalk, causing about four guys to chuckle under their breath at her, so she was done. Just done. She opened the Uber app and went into the coffee house, calling for one and realizing it would be about twenty-five minutes before they got here to pick her up. Just enough time to grab a cup of coffee and decompress from her ill-conceived NYC walk. It might put her a few minutes late to work, but Jane never really cared.

Darcy hadn’t ever come into this place before, but new shops were always popping up and closing down. Plus, she’d never really ever come to any of the shops or restaurants in this area, because of her aforementioned routine.

But the place smelled like cinnamon and coffee, and she could use a cup of something too sweet and too caffeinated.

She stepped up in line behind a man in a dark blue suit. With little blue pinstripes.

He made his order, and his voice sounded _so familiar_.

“Name?” the barista asked.

“Yanko,” he replied. “Y-A-N-K--”

“From the Morning Show, right?” the barista interrupted. “Yeah, I got you.”

Holy crap. Was this what the officials would call a coincidence?

Her grandma would call it kismet.

Whichever it was, she had to say something, right? Something cute and memorable?

“Uh oh, Yanko. I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore…”

_Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck. Cute. Not stupid. Cute, not stupid, Lewis!_

He turned and for a split-second of absolute fear, Darcy thought maybe she’d made a mistake. Not that he wasn’t Yanko Flores or anything, because how many people had that name who worked on the Morning Show? But no, he might not remember _her_. In which case, she just made an absolute ass of herself.

It was probably good she didn’t frequent this place.

Embarrassing yourself in front of strangers was very preferable to embarrassing yourself in front of acquaintances.

Except recognition dawned on his face like that grin that was slowly spreading. “Darcy! Darcy Lewis!” He held out his hand and she shook it. Warm palms. Still warm.

God, she was embarrassing _herself_ now.

“What brings you to New York City?” he asked.

She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Right. Because we met in Kansas. I’m actually from New York. Lived here for going on six years now…” She laughed and adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder.

“Oh!” he exclaimed. “I’m six years too late to welcome you, then.”

She didn’t know why she laughed at that. But she did. And he smiled at her, which felt like the goddamn sun shining on her face, and did she have a crush on the weatherman?

Shit. Maybe. She was getting all giggly and stupid, which was on-brand for Darcy Lewis-comma-infatuated.

“Well, I mean… I could always use the welcome,” she replied, grinning so widely, she was probably dimpling into next week.

He was one of those guys who made eye contact when he talked to her. Not once did his gaze drift south. She wasn’t exactly wearing something that showed off her figure in any way, really, but that usually didn’t stop guys from ogling the goods whenever she talked.

But he seemed genuinely interested in whatever stupid thing came out of her mouth. She figured it probably had something to do with being a local celebrity. He probably had women crawling all over him all the time.

“Yankey?” the barista called. “Got a double shot caramel hot latte for Yankey?”

“I think that’s supposed to be me,” Yanko said with a visible wince at her blatant misspelling of his name. “Have a wonderful day, Darcy Lewis.”

“You too!” she called, shamelessly watching as he took his coffee, waved to her, and left the coffee house.

“Daria?” the woman asked, holding out her iced frap. Darcy reached for it and smirked. “I know for a fact y’all do that on purpose.”

The barista arched an eyebrow and winked. “Later, _Darcy_.”

“Later,” she said, taking a long sip from her cold drink and sighing as the sugar and caffeine hit her tongue. The coffee here was okay. She might come back again. But she knew deep down the only reason was the off chance she’d see Yanko again. And that chance was slim to nil here in the city. Especially since they didn’t appear to know him here. It was probably an impulse stop for him too.

A one-in-a-million-chance of going to the same shop she did ever again.

She sighed and contented herself with the knowledge that she had flirted terribly with the weatherman and maybe they would both get a funny anecdote out of this.

Her phone buzzed. Her uber was outside. A beige car with peace sign stickers all over it. She spotted it easily and got in.

She finished her frap on the way to the lab and tossed the plastic cup before even getting on the elevator. By the time she got upstairs, she was jumpy and jittery from the sugar/caffeine rush.

“Morning, Darce…” Jane said, still lazily checking her email on her laptop. Darcy knew it was her email without even looking at the screen because that was basically all Jane did on that laptop was email.

“Morning, Janey…” Darcy plopped down in a stool and spun around a couple of times before speaking. “Hey, so I saw your boyfriend again.”

Jane frowned. “Thor? I thought he was… ohhhhhh…” She grinned and closed the laptop. “You saw Yanko Flores? _Again_?”

“Yeah. Turns out we have the same taste in impulse coffee shops.”

“Oh my gosh, that’s amazing! What did you say to him?”

Darcy thought back to what she’d actually said: A dumb Wizard of Oz joke that barely landed. “Oh, I just… just said hi.”

“Then what did he say? Lie to me or something, Darce. I’m living vicariously…”

“He welcomed me to New York.”

Jane made a face. “But you’ve been here for six years.”

“That’s what I told him, but since we met in Kansas, he probably thought I was vacationing or visiting or something.”

“Did you at least give him your number?” Ian asked, ducking out from behind a piece of equipment and making Darcy jolt in her stool.

“I’m about to put a bell on you,” she muttered, pressing her hand over her hammering heart. “I just drank about sixteen ounces of pure sugar and caffeine. You could have killed me just then.”

He rolled his eyes and continued as if she hadn’t said a word to the contrary. “Did you give the man your number?”

“No,” she replied, sniffing derisively. “We just happened to see each other at the coffee shop. Do you give your number to every woman you see at the grocery store?”

Ian shot her a look. “No. I don’t. But I usually never see them again. This guy, you’ve seen twice in very odd situations. It sounds like the universe is trying to toss a hot dork into your lap and you’re dumping him out on the floor.”

“Your metaphors are the worst,” she countered. “The universe isn’t doing anything, and neither am I.”

“Too right, that,” Ian muttered not entirely under his breath as he ducked back from whence he’d come.

“You should give him your number if you see him again,” Jane said. “Promise you will.”

Darcy groaned. “I’m never going to see him again, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Still. Promise. If you see him again, it’s kismet,” Jane said smugly. “ _And_ I get to hear how the weatherman kisses.”

Darcy’s cheeks flushed at the thought and she abruptly stood to go find something to do. Anything that didn’t involve discussing her non-existent sex life with or without the hot weatherman.

* * *

“Just go. You’ll thank me later. He’s totally your type,” Rafe insisted, stealing one of Darcy’s fries and dragging it through his leftover ketchup.

“How is it that everyone knows I have a type?” Darcy asked, reaching for her almost-empty soda. “We don’t even hang out that often. You’re a friend of a friend of Ian’s. That doesn’t scan, Rafe.”

He snorted out a laugh and shook his head. “First off, we are having lunch so I think I’ve moved up from ‘friend of a friend of Ian’s, kay? And second. Honey, you are the one who has it written all over her face. And I’ve gone out with you enough times to take notes and know that you like a little geek in your sheets.”

Darcy grimaced. “Rude.”

“Not rude. _Observant_ ,” he corrected her. “Listen. I’ve had this client for a few years now. If he was gay, I’d have dated him myself. He’s cute, I promise.”

“Which is why he needs to be set up on a blind date,” Darcy deadpanned.

“His job is pretty confining when it comes to free time. He doesn’t meet many women and the ones he does, can’t live with his schedule.”

“Lovely. So he’s cute and never around. Perfect, Rafe. Amazing, thank you.”

“Now hush it for a second! You also travel on the spur of the moment and take long hours. You guys would be perfect for one another.”

He was probably right about that, but Darcy still felt a little reluctant to go out with Rafe’s client. Although, she supposed that he probably was pretty buff if Rafe had been his trainer for a couple of years now. Maybe she’d at least get a few good lays out of it. She could use that for sure.

“What’s his name?” she asked.

“If I tell you, you won’t go.”

She laughed aloud. “You’re really selling me on this guy, lemme tell ya.”

“Look, just go, okay? I’ll pay for your meal, I’ll make the reservations. He’s already on board with it.”

“ _Already_?” Darcy asked. “Not only is he nameless and too busy, but he’s also desperate. That’s three for three.”

“You wanna go or not?” Rafe asked.

She sighed. “Yeah, I’ll go. But I’m not going to his place. He can meet me at the restaurant.”

“He’s not a creep, I promise,” Rafe replied, swiping around on his phone. “And I just reserved you both a table at Bareback Mermaid.”

Her eyes widened. “Are you serious?” she asked. “That place is impossible to get into!”

“I know the owner, okay? He owed me a favor.”

“Geez, must be some favor.” Rafe shot her a look and Darcy grinned. “What time is the reservation?”

“It’s for eight on Friday night. Wear something unique that I can tell him about so he can find you.”

“Tell him to look for the gap-toothed bumpkin in black. Because that’s what I’m wearing. Black.”

“You are not a bumpkin, and your teeth are adorable.”

She rolled her eyes. “I know, okay? I was joking.”

“Wear that purple scarf I got you for Christmas,” Rafe said.

“ _Fine_. I’ll wear it,” she said.

“You still have it, don’t you?”

“Of course I do. What kind of asshole returns a cute scarf like that?”

“Do you have it in your possession?” he asked, leveling her with a serious stare.

“ _Yes_ ,” she insisted. “I have it. I even wear it on occasion.”

“Well, wear it for this occasion, I’ll tell him to look for the hottie in black with a purple scarf.”

She rolled her eyes. “And what should I search for?”

“The dork with the ‘types of clouds’ tie.”

“I’m supposed to be squinting at every dude’s tie?” she asked.

“It’s mostly blue, and there are clouds. Trust me, you’ll know it when you see it.”

“I swear, if he’s like a serial killer, I’m coming back to haunt you forever, Rafe.”

“Homeboy doesn’t have _time_ to be a serial killer, trust me.”

She took a sip of her soda. “I hope you’re right.”

* * *

Friday night came around and Darcy was actually kind of nervous. But she figured that was par for the course with blind dates like this one.

She wore the cute little black dress that made her waist look tiny and her figure look vavavoom, she wore the purple scarf as Rafe had directed, tied jauntily around her neck, and she’d made a hell of an effort with her makeup and hair. More than usual.

She looked just about as hot as Darcy Lewis ever did. So pretty much smoking as her heels clicked on the floor of the Bareback Mermaid’s front atrium.

“Hey, I’ve got a reservation under Rafe Stilton?” she said to the very bored looking hostess, who nodded almost imperceptibly and led her to an empty table.

Great. She’d made an effort and the bozo hadn’t even shown up.

Sighing, she pulled out her phone to Snapchat Jane. She was waiting for a reply when someone approached the table.

He was tall, that was the first thing she noticed. That and his tie was just as dorky as Rafe had promised.

As her gaze continued upward, she nearly fell out of her chair.

“Holy shit, hi,” she said quickly, grinning a little sheepishly and standing up.

Yanko Flores looked a little taken aback himself.

“Rafe’s your trainer?” she asked, holding out her hand.

“You’re Rafe’s hot friend,” he finished, smiling and accepting her hand.

She returned to her chair and pulled up her phone to tell Jane her date had arrived. “Sorry, just have to tell my friend that you’re here… done.” She plopped her phone back in her purse and folded her hands in front of her on the table.

“So, Yanko, is it?” she teased, smiling a little.

He blushed and looked down at his own hands on the tabletop in front of him. “Yes, yes it is. And I didn’t catch your name… what was it?”

She was so glad he was going along with her little schtick so she didn’t feel like a dumbass.

“Darcy,” she replied with a smirk. “Darcy Lewis.”

“Perfect, and what is your line of work, Darcy Lewis?”

“I’m a research assistant to an astrophysicist,” she replied. “I’m not even joking, I promise.”

“No, no, I didn’t think you were. What sort of research?”

“Einstein Rosen Bridge,” Darcy replied. “It’s a theoretical bridge between--”

“Between realms, right… I don’t know much more about it than that, but I have heard of it before.”

Darcy nodded and started fiddling with her napkin. “And you? Are the weatherman for the Morning Show, sure, but what else do you do?”

“I pretty much just do that… I like chasing storms and tracking weather patterns.”

“Right, so in the first-date speak, you like long walks on the beach, in a hurricane.”

He chuckled. “I know that was a joke, but I feel like I should tell you that you really shouldn’t walk on the beach in a hurricane…”

Darcy shot him an incredulous look. “Dude. I know. We met while I was cowering in a storm shelter, that should tell you my relationship with weather. I _have_ driven a van into the middle of a thunderstorm cell, though. Totally for science. And six college credits at the time.”

“That is super dangerous, but I’m intrigued and a little jealous…” Yanko continued. “Can I ask why?”

“You could, but that’s totally classified.”

“Seriously?” he looked a little disappointed.

“Seriously,” Darcy confirmed. “I had to sign a ton of non-disclosure agreements, and if I so much as breathe a word more, I’m pretty sure there’ll be Men in Black rappelling down through the stained glass window to shut me up and wipe everyone’s memories.”

“CIA?” Yanko mouthed.

God, he was adorable. She grinned. “If you like.”

“Well, consider the subject dropped, then.”

The server came to get their drink orders and Darcy belatedly realized that she hadn’t even come close to opening her menu, so she ordered a glass of the house red and an ice-water.

Yanko ordered the same before turning his attention back to her. “So Rafe.”

“Rafe,” Darcy laughed. “Where to begin…”

“He’s been my trainer for a while now,” Yanko continued.

“Yeah? Seems to be working out for you,” she said, with a brief waggle of her eyebrows.

As it turned out, Yanko Flores was a blusher. Super cute.

“He’s a friend of a friend of my ex-boyfriend’s… who has morphed into one of my friends… the weird thing is, the guy bridging the degree between Rafe and my ex… _that_ guy I’ve never really met for longer than it took to pick up Ian from his place when we went places.”

“Ian? Isn’t he the—“

“The guy I work with now? Yeah. It was an amicable breakup,” she said with a shrug. “That’s not a problem, is it?”

“Oh no, of course not,” Yanko replied. “I still work with one of my exes as well, although it wasn’t as amicable of a breakup.”

“Oh…” Darcy trailed off, running her finger over the edge of the menu. “We should probably figure out what we want to eat or that server’s going to bore holes in us with his laser glare.”

They talked over the menu for quite some time, with Darcy knowing what she wanted right away and Yanko picking something while she ordered hers.

The rest of the date went by too quickly. After the one minor slip with bringing up exes, it was all smooth sailing after that.

She found herself opening up and talking about stuff she hadn’t talked about in a long time, like how she was going to apply for graduate school, majoring in Botany, because working in the lab with some of the other scientists got her super interested. That and her ridiculous houseplant collection also piqued her interest.

And then Yanko talked about the upcoming hurricane season and how he knew that storms were super detrimental to a lot of people, but the patterns of the storms had certainly changed over the years.

All in all, it was a pretty good date. She hadn’t been on a first date in so long where there was the proverbial ‘click’. They found themselves holding their leftovers and talking on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, loath to leave yet.

“So, can I call you sometime?” Yanko asked. “And by ‘sometime’, I mean as soon as possible? I had a great time.”

Darcy beamed. “Absolutely. I had a great time too… I enjoyed all your weather facts. And your tie. And you.”

He blushed then, and she couldn’t help but think about what Rafe had said.

_“You look like you like a little geek in your sheets.”_

She absolutely did.

“Same… to all of that.”

“Awesome,” Darcy said with a grin. She stepped closer, watching his throat bob as he too moved closer.

The kiss was brief but sizzling hot. It felt like he’d shocked her with his lips and she leaned a little more into it than she probably should have for a first date. But it wasn’t like she was asking him back to her place or anything. Not that she wouldn’t have minded. She just figured he was a more traditional dude and he’d appreciate taking things a bit more slowly.

“That was…” he murmured. “Best part of the night.”

“Agreed,” Darcy replied, her cheeks heating up.

“Can I wait with you while you call a cab?”

“Yeah, that’d be great.”

And he did, wait with her. They talked about everything and nothing while they waited for her Uber to show up. Once it had, he kissed her again, while holding the door open for her, causing the cab driver to harrumph gruffly.

Darcy didn’t care, though. She had wings on her shoes. Or little tornados. Whichever.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, they met up for lunch a few times. He always looked super exhausted, but then again, he woke up at like three in the morning. It was a hella crazy schedule

And if she didn’t also have one helluva crazy one herself, she could have seen why no one seemed to stick around. Even though he was amazing.

Thoroughly amazing.

And a great kisser too. He always kissed her goodbye on their lunch dates.

She was the one who finally broke the ice and asked him out officially herself.

“Hey, so like… you’ve got tomorrow off, right?”

“Yes. Provided no major storm cells come through, and it doesn’t look like that will happen.” He replied.

“Cool… do you wanna come over tomorrow night?”

“To your place?“ he asked.

“Yeah, to my place,” she replied. “We could binge something on Netflix. If you wanted.”

“Okay, yeah. That sounds fun.”

“Cool. It’s a date, then. I’ll order pizza.”

“Pizza, okay… Want me to bring anything?”

“Just yourself,” she teased. “Oh, and beer if you want it. I don’t drink it, so I just have wine.”

“Wine’s fine,” he assured her.

And then he kissed her again. It was always too quickly over. Like he was being rushed. Which she supposed he was.

* * *

When he came over, he actually brought some wine. _Nice_ wine. Darcy legit hadn’t ever had a wine like that. Of course, she felt like an idiot when she told him that.

And he got all red and embarrassed. Which was an adorable look on him, but Darcy didn’t want him to feel bad. “No, dude… it’s fine, really. I’m just not…” she shrugged. “I’m a potential grad student, so you don’t have to try so hard to impress me.”

“If I still wanted to try and impress you, how might I go about it, then?”

Darcy grinned. “Oh, I dunno, you’re pretty impressive all on your own.”

They made their way over to the couch, and he sat down, leaving enough room for Darcy to sit down as well. She, of course, scooted up close to him so he could drape his arm around her shoulders.

“What did you want to watch?” he asked.

“Oh, you are adorable,” she said,

“I want to agree with you, but in this particular instance, why?”

She smirked and turned, shifting on the sofa until she was straddling his waist. “Because I asked you over to Netflix and Chill.”

“Okay, I know what that means, but you didn’t say that. You said specifically that we were going to binge something on Netflix, so that’s why…” His hands moved to her waist, thumbs brushing over her belly. “This top is really… really nice.”

Her tongue poked out through her teeth as she leaned down to kiss him. “You like it? Maybe I should leave it on?”

“If you like,” he countered. “I can work around it.”

She reached up to undo one of the buttons, catching and holding his gaze as she slowly worked her way down her front, his eyes stayed on her hand until she stopped moving, pulling the shirt open slightly and reaching for his hands, sliding them under the now fully open shirt and onto her bare skin.

“Show me.”

He inhaled sharply and surged forward, his hands clutching at her waist to hold her still as his mouth plundered hers.

One hand smoothed upward, over the lacy cup of her bra and up to where the lace met her skin.

He broke off the kiss with a harsh gasp as she rocked her hips over his. “I haven’t done this in a while.”

“Did you forget how?” she asked, mostly teasing, but if he wanted to be guided, she could totally do that as well. That was hot as fuck, now that she was thinking about it.

“No, nothing like that…” He ran his thumb over her breast and licked his lips. “Just wondering if they changed it or anything.” She grinned and his face broke into one as well. “You’re beautiful,” he murmured.

“You don’t have to romance me, you know, I’m pretty much a sure thing so long as you aren’t like a closet Nazi or something.”

He made a face. “Never!” He kissed her lips softly, changing the subject. “You don’t like being told that you’re beautiful?” he asked, eyes moving down as she moved on top of him. “I could just show you instead.”

He was so sweet, it almost hurt to look at him. He looked like the kind of guy who could make her feel beautiful.

“Show me,” she breathed, repeating what she’d already said earlier.

He slid his hands over her shoulders and pushed off her shirt. She let it fall down her arms and he reached for the back of her skirt as well.

“Oh, I could definitely keep this on if you want.”

He ran his tongue over his teeth. “Maybe next time seems like it’d be useful in an office setting.”

Her mouth fell open at the thought of office sex with him and he moved his hand around the waistband until he found the hidden zipper, easing it down so her skirt pooled around her thighs. She shifted to get rid of it and reached for the buttons on his shirt. She unbuttoned them one at a time, letting her fingers brush over his skin with every pass.

Not that she’d been ogling him or anything, but she could tell he had a nice shape under those tailored suits. She wasn’t mistaken.

When she got to where his shirt was tucked into his pants, she tugged first at his belt, working as slowly as possible, because she could practically feel his body humming in anticipation. Or maybe that was hers.

“You’re doing that on purpose,” he breathed.

“Doing what?” she asked.

“Driving me crazy with how slow you’re moving…”

She giggled. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, I haven’t done this in a while either, I don’t want to make any mistakes.”

“Would it help if I assured you that there wasn’t any way you could mess this up?” he asked, grunting as she undid the button on his pants, fingers sliding the zipper down. She could feel the heat radiating off him as she leaned up and let him push the pants down to the ground and slip out of his shirt. All of it looked expensive, but he didn’t seem to care about it ending up on the floor.

She pressed her palms against his bare chest, fingers curling in his chest hair as she bit down on her bottom lip.

He pushed up and met her lips softly, one hand tucking her hair behind her ear. “I think I remember how this part goes.”

“That’s good because I feel like I froze,” she giggled.

His other hand came up her belly and pressed on her breast again, pushing up until her nipple peeked over the edge of the shell lace. His thumb swiped over the tip and she inhaled sharply, a high needy sound teasing at her vocal cords.

Yanko seemed to like that because he repeated the action until she was panting softly and he brought his other hand down to mirror his actions on the other breast.

“God,” she murmured, her hips grinding against him.

He didn’t answer, simply sat back and watched as she slowly rocked herself against him, seeking out the growing bulge that promised not to disappoint.

When she caught his gaze, she nearly cried out again.

He was looking at her like she was wonderful. Like she was something impossibly gorgeous. It was a look she’d seen before, but she couldn’t quite place it. Not while he was making her feel so complete and amazing.

“Darcy,” he murmured.

“Yanko,” she replied, unsurprised to find it very easy to say his name like this.

“Rise up for me,” he instructed.

She did, gasping a little as his hands slid under her waistband and moved her panties down over her hips. She shifted so he could get them off, and finally woke up enough to reach for his jockeys.

He chuckled and they both had to shift around so he could get them off.

She ran her tongue over her teeth as his fingers trailed down over her hip and between her thighs.

“I have something, I’ll just grab it when I—“ His words broke off as his fingers slid against her, finding her hot and slick already. “God,” he whispered. “You’re so wet.”

He dragged his fingers over her clit, making her shiver and press into his hand.

When his fingers pressed up into her, she hissed out her pleasure, her fingers digging into his shoulders.

When she caught his eyes, it made her blush with the intensity that he was staring up at her. Reverently. Like she was a goddess to be worshipped, and not some woman riding his hand.

She was soaking wet, easing the glide as he rocked his palm over her clit. She moved against the heel of his hand, feeling the callouses as they caught on her clit. Moaning softly, she moved quickly towards orgasm.

“I’m close,” she warned, but he didn’t slow down, didn’t even pause, gasping with her when she came, clenching tightly around his fingers. Her thighs shaking as he brought her slowly down, easing his fingers out of her before sucking them into his mouth.

He fished for his pants with one hand, pulling a condom out of the pocket. He tore the foil, pulling out the condom and rolling it down his shaft.

Darcy never really waxed poetic about a man’s body before, but Yanko was beautifully built all over, and his cock was no different.

She watched as he worked the condom down his length, his breath coming heavier and heavier until she centered herself over him, sinking down.

His hand remained on the base of his cock until she’d sunk down almost all the way. He slid his hand out then, sighing and letting his head fall against the back of her sofa.

She’d noticed before that he was curved, pointing back towards himself when he was holding it. It was a perfect fit to drag over her g-spot when she moved. Darcy figured out just how good he felt when she started to move. She never usually came from penetration alone, but fuck if this didn’t feel amazing.

“Fuck,” he groaned, his hands clenching on her waist while she rode him. “God, look at you…” He was panting while she worked. Pushing her down when she rose up like he couldn’t get enough of her.

She certainly couldn’t get enough of him.

A moan escaped as she started to speed up. A moan that shook her to her core and to his as well, it seemed, if the reverent way he gazed up at her was any indicator.

She couldn’t quite rise up enough to drag over her g-spot every time, but it felt so amazing she couldn’t stop.

“Fuck… Fuck… Yanko… God…”

What do you need?” he asked, eyes wide and stuck on her as she moved.

“Talk to me,” she whimpered.

“Fuck, you’re so beautiful. So fucking beautiful, why are you with me, beautiful?” he whispered. “You could be with anyone.”

“Trying to talk me outta this dick now that I’m already hooked?” she teased, tossing her hair back and speeding up a bit.

“Never, never ever going to try to talk you out of this. I’d have to be crazy.”

She smiled and doubled down, speeding up and only rising enough to sink down again. It didn’t feel as good for her, but it made his eyes roll back in his head.

She could feel his thighs clenching when he stopped her.

“What?” she asked, a little bleary-eyed.

“That felt amazing, but I want it to feel good for you too… tell me what I need to do.”

His eyes bored into hers and if she wasn’t already soaking wet, she’d have likely gushed all over him at that moment.

“Um… I uh… it’s just a little difficult to rise up as much as I need to, my legs aren’t—“

“Nah, pretty sure your legs are perfect,” he interrupted but wrapped his hands around her waist. “Try now, show me where you need to—“

She rose up until his cock brushed over her g-spot and she cried out. “God… fuck… There.”

“Okay,” his voice sounded shaky, but his hands tightened around her waist, and with every upsweep he helped her reach the spot she needed. Her forehead was dripping with sweat when she started shaking apart, her walls clenching him hard enough to break it off as she groaned his name.

“Oh fuck… fuck, fuck fuck, Yanko…”

“That’s it, keep going,” he murmured, his voice barely more than a whisper as she moved.

And that’s when she felt him move too, His thighs clenched tight and he moaned while she moved. It was hot as fuck, watching him fall apart this close together and mid-orgasm herself.

When she finished, she felt him sink back against the sofa, his head falling back as she leaned against his chest. His skin felt cool and sticky, but she wasn’t really caring at that moment. His cologne smelled like heaven and she was swimming in it as she panted and came back to herself.

“Fuck me,” she muttered.

“I could be wrong, but I think I just did?” Yanko said, a light laugh following.

She didn’t have the strength to swat his shoulder, but it didn’t matter.

“No, like… that felt… god, that felt amazing, how did you…” she frowned and peered at him. “There is no way you’ve been single for this long. How have all the women slept on you, Flores?”

He smiled, but it was an exhausted smile. A little sad too. And Darcy immediately regretted saying what she had.

“No, I mean… I’m sorry… I just… you’re so… I’m sorry, Yanko, I—“

“Shhh,” he murmured, kissing her to stop her babbling. “My feelings aren’t hurt. Not by you, at any rate. Please. Continue to tell me how wonderful I am.”

“Seriously, best ever,” she said. “And I’ve… I’ve not had a ton of experience, but like… seriously… best ever, Yanko.”

“You aren’t so bad yourself. It’s been a while since I’ve literally been stricken speechless, so that’s something.”

She grinned and he leaned up to kiss her. He was softening inside her, so he coaxed her up and off his lap.

“Kindly point me in the direction of your bathroom,” he asked.

She pointed down the hall running adjacent to the sofa. “First door on the left.”

“Be right back,” he promised, pushing to his feet and making his way to the bathroom.

Darcy let her head rest against the back of the sofa to wait for him to return.

He did, completely nude and still a little out of breath as he fished his underwear out of the pile of discarded clothing, pulling them on to sit down beside her on the sofa.

“Dude. I’m naked. You could have stayed naked if you wanted.”

“It’s your sofa,” he replied as his head fell back against the sofa so he could look directly at her. “Speaking of your sofa, in your apartment… I have to work tomorrow, so I can’t stay…”

She poked out her bottom lip. “Awww.”

“I know…” he said, chuckling a little and reaching over to brush her hair out of her face. “I was wondering… if I could coax you to come over to my place for the night? I don’t want to spend it without you, but I need to be at my place or I’ll have to get up at an ungodly hour tomorrow.”

“Don’t you have to get up at an ungodly hour anyway?” Darcy asked.

He smirked. “Any earlier, and I might as well just stay up.”

“How far’s your place?” she asked.

“It’s about forty-five minutes, give or take traffic…” He said with a shrug. “I’ll make it worth your while, I promise.”

She arched her eyebrow. “Oh really?” He smirked again and she exhaled. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay,” she nodded once. “Let me go grab some stuff and I’ll be ready to go, okay?”

“What time do you have to be at work tomorrow?”

“I don’t,” she said. “I’m off Sunday and Monday.”

“Well, I’m finished up by early afternoon. If you hung around, we could have a late lunch? I do have to go to bed early, but…”

“Okay,” she said. “If I can find something to keep myself occupied at your place.”

“It’s not the most amazing place, but it’s not bad,” he said with a small smile.

“That’s an undersell if I ever heard one. I’ve no choice but to imagine the best apartment in Manhattan now. You’ve got a log flume in there, don’t you?”

He laughed. “Yeah, it’s how you get downstairs.”

“Can’t wait,” she said, grinning as she reached for her panties. “Like I said, gimme five and I’ll be ready.”

She got dressed on her way back to her bedroom and quickly grabbed a change of clothes for the next day. It was barely eight pm, but she figured he’d have to get to sleep soonish if he wasn’t going to be giving the zombie weather in the morning, so she tried to hurry, grabbing her laptop and charger so she could work on some more applications to grad school the next morning. She tried to fill out at least five a week. Whether or not she sent them off was none of anyone’s business.

She at least filled them out.

When she met him in the living room, he was already dressed, pulling on his shoes.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Yep, lemme lock up and we’re good to go.”

She grabbed her keys before they left.

* * *

When her phone alarm went off the next morning, she was laying by herself in a king-sized bed with the sun rays shining across her face. She rolled her face into the pillow and reached in the direction of her phone, which was charging on the side table.

In the process of grabbing her phone, she knocked practically every other thing on the side table to the floor, except for the lamp.

It was only after she pried her eyes open and looked at the time that she remembered where she was.

Yanko had left the bed at 3:00 in the morning, he’d left the apartment a short time later, after kissing her forehead and whispering goodbye. She remembered that vaguely, but his bed was so comfortable, she didn’t have any trouble falling back to sleep after that.

Her alarm was set so she could catch the weather report, and thus, Yanko on the Morning Show. She wrapped a sheet around her body and padded out to the living room and switched on the TV.

She blinked blearily at the screen and took a seat on the end of the sofa just in time to see Alex swing over to Yanko for the forecast.

He beamed into the camera and started talking about a cold front coming in and possible snow later in the week, but Darcy let her chin rest on her palm and her elbow on her knee as she watched him talk.

There was something about watching someone you cared about talk about something they loved. It was nice.

The forecast was over, and Yanko gave it over to sports, and Darcy switched off the TV because she honestly didn’t care past that.

She rose and went back to the bedroom to get dressed. She’d brought along a change of clothes, but she didn’t really want to put those on before taking a shower, so she simply grabbed Yanko’s discarded button-up and wore that to make coffee.

She was about halfway through the googled instructions for Yanko’s coffee maker when her phone chimed.

“Are you awake yet?” It was followed by a couple of sun emojis.

“Yes. I set my alarm so I could catch the weather,” she replied, grinning even though she knew he couldn’t see it.

“Really?”

“Yep. Totally hot weather guy on Channel 4.” Followed by a few smiles with their tongues stuck out. “J/k. Obviously the hottest weather guy’s on TMS.”

“Ha ha ha.” (He actually typed that out) “Did you figure out the coffee maker?”

“Yeah, I’m googling it now.”

“Sorry, should have thought to go over that last night…”

“Yeah, you really fudged on your orientation speech, dude.”

“Might have had something to do with the woman who had her hand down my pants in the middle of the kitchen.”

Darcy smirked even though no one could see her. “Pretty sure a professional would have been able to work past the attempted hand job.”

“I’ll be out of here after lunch, are you still okay to hang around until then?”

“Yes. I’m not leaving, Yanko. I like it here.” She followed with a winky face.

“I like having you there,” he replied.

“Oh, hold up a sec…” she said, pressing the camera button and flipping the screen to take a selfie. She hopped up on the countertop and crossed her legs, winking as she snapped the picture.

Of course, she had to take like four more until she got one she liked, but she sent it his way after that.

“Officially not fair,” he replied. “You’re wearing my shirt and I’m not there.”

“I’m sure I’ll wear it again sometime soon.”

“Can’t wait. Okay. I have to go. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“Kay, have fun!”

“I’ll try.”

Darcy was watching Bones on his big-screen when he arrived home, flopping down on the sofa beside her and reaching for her hand.

She beamed over in his direction. “How was your day?”

“It was a day,” was his only reply. “Want to have dinner tonight?” Darcy nodded, straightening up so she could kiss him properly. He broke off the kiss to continue speaking. “Dinner out, or stay in.”

“Whichever you want,” she replied, nuzzling his nose. “Whichever is fine with me.”

“Even if it’s crowded?”

She laughed. “Yeah? Why wouldn’t I? Crowds don’t bother me.”

He had that sad look on his face again and Darcy wasn’t exactly certain what to do or say to get it to leave again. So she kept talking. “Crowds don’t bother me unless someone’s bothering you for weather forecasts on the weekend of their wedding or something.”

He chuckled, his smile finally reaching his eyes. “It doesn’t happen _that_ often, Darcy.”

“Yeah, but it happens, which is already too often. The entitlement of some people.” She kissed him again, leaning closer and trailing her fingers along the edge of his necktie. “So are we going out?”

“Yeah,” he said, nodding slightly as he chased her lips.

“What time? Because you look like you might be a little stressed from work. And I can help with that.”

“You can?” he asked, eyebrows arching when she climbed into his lap, straddling his hips.

“You don’t have to do a thing.”

“Sounds fun. But doing things with you is also fun.”

“Ah, so you’re torn.”

“Very torn…” he slid his hand along her jaw, tilting her face so he could kiss her again.

* * *

Darcy was loading dishes into the dishwasher while Yanko helped. Well, he helped in action only, he’d gone radio silent somewhere around the time they’d started clearing the table. And no amount of coaxing him or softening her edges or changing the subject could get him out of whatever this funk was. She’d noticed it a lot whenever they were together, but this was the first time she’d ever not been able to pull him out of it.

Once the dishes were in the racks and the detergent had been added, she closed the door to start the cycle. “Alright, babe.”

He glanced up at her, raising his eyebrows in a nonverbal question. _Yes?_

“You gotta tell me what’s going on so I can react appropriately.”

“Nothing’s going—“

“Okay, that’s bullshit and you know it.”

“Darcy…”

“Yanko,” she countered. “I’m not mad, okay? I’m not. I’m just… frustrated because something is clearly bothering you, and it’s directly related to something I did because it always happens when we’re together and when we’re doing something domestic. You get all pouty and quiet. So what’s the deal? Is it too much? Am I moving too fast? Like—“

“No,” he said, sighing heavily as he threaded the towel through the handle of the oven and turned to lean back against the counter. “No, it’s nothing you’ve done.”

“Is it work?” she asked, moving a little closer.

He looked at her like he either wanted to kiss her or burst into tears, but he shook his head instead. “No, it’s not work. It’s… it’s something I should have told you about before.”

Darcy’s heart clenched up in her chest. Was he married?”

Fuck, that was a stupid question. Of course, he wasn’t married. She knew he wasn’t.

Why was that the thing she went to?

“It’s… something… someone from my past and I should have told you about her.”

Her heart clenched up all over again, and she must have looked stricken because Yanko quickly backtracked. “No, no, nothing like that, Darcy. I’m not… she’s very far in the past. So far. So very far.”

“Okay,” she said uncertainly.

“She’s far in the past, but she… she and I didn’t end things very well. And we didn’t start things very well. She is a lot younger than I am, both in age, maturity, and professional station… we had a secret affair and then when we had to come clean with it to HR…”

“The one who works with you,” Darcy realized aloud.

“Yes… I should have led with that…” Yanko looked miserable, so Darcy just nodded and motioned for him to continue on.

“Well, once we had to come clean with it to HR, she didn’t want… she ended things. She only liked it because it was a secret. Forbidden.”

“Oh,” Darcy said, exhaling. “And you get panicky whenever you think about us because you’re worried I’m going to bail when this gets serious?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“Well, I hate to break it to you, dude. But…” She glanced over at the houseplant on his kitchen window sill. “I’m keeping plants over here. It’s pretty serious.”

He chuckled, his smile looking genuine. “I think I’m damaged.”

Darcy chewed on her lip. “Okay. Not to sound callous, but so?”

“So?” he repeated. “So, you deserve someone who’s whole and not feeling sorry for himself constantly and finding double meaning in everything you say…”

“Yanko, I like you. I like _you_. Not some idealized version of you, or the fake weatherman persona you put on to give the weather in the studio. I like _you_. I like how excited you get when you’re talking about a storm cell or explaining how hurricanes change and shift mid-course. I like how you look when I’m on top of you…”

He blushed and Darcy grinned, stepping closer. “I like _you_. And if you’re damaged, you and I can work on fixing that. That’s how much I like you.” She slid her arms around his waist and leaned close enough to kiss his nose. “And I’m fine with telling everyone in the world that we’re dating. I’m not ashamed of you, so long as you’re not ashamed of me.”

“Why would I be?”

“I’m perpetually applying to grad school,” she said. “I’m a glorified assistant and I’m almost thirty. I have no professional goals other than I might like to go back to school for more degrees. Forever. I’d be completely fine to be a perpetual student, so I never go through with grad school because it becomes so finalized then.”

“Learning should be a vocation,” he replied. “It’s a valid endeavor. And there’s such a thing as obtaining multiple doctorates, you know.”

“So my weird, perpetual fascination with the collegiate life doesn’t deter you?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“Then your extreme dorkiness about everything meteorological doesn’t deter me either.”

He pursed his lips for a long moment. “Would you like to meet my mother?”

Darcy grinned emphatically. “So long as you’re okay to meet mine.”

* * *

When the phone rang, Darcy blinked and stared at it for a long time. It was fucking early, that much was clear. And she was at her place because it was Friday, and she usually had to work. Also, Yanko had an early morning today.

 _Today_.

She was thirty today. Birthday day. Birthday morning. Birthday wake up call. Shit.

She scrambled for the phone and answered it. There was only one person who called her this early.

“Hello?”

“Happy Birthday, beautiful.”

She smiled and lay back on the pillows. “Good morning, Yanko.”

“Sorry to wake you, I just wanted to be sure you saw the weather at seven-ten.”

“I will. I’m awake now,” she said with a grin. “Any special reason? Not that I need one, I tend to try and catch every forecast.”

“I like you so much,” he mumbled.

“Like you back,” she countered. “So I’m awake. Not going back to sleep. Turning on the TV now.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”

“Okay. Bye babe. Break a leg.”

She reached for her remote. She turned on the television and switched it to The Morning Show.

Alex had just finished up with whatever she was talking about and then she gave it over to Yanko Flores.

Darcy felt her lips pulling into a smile when she saw him. He was wearing that tie she bought for him. The one with the lightning bolts.

He gave the forecast. The weekend was going to be perfect, which was yay because that meant he’d be all hers for the next forty-eight hours. And she intended to make good use of that time. Beginning with her birthday party that night at the lab where she was going to introduce her boyfriend to everyone. And everyone to her boyfriend.

“And that just about wraps it up,” Yanko said, “But I’d like to take just a second to wish my girlfriend, Darcy, a very happy birthday. She’s brought so much sunshine into my life, I feel like she deserves a little in return.”

Her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed hot.

_Oh my god. I got a shout out. A freaking shout out._

“Back to you, Alex.”

“That is so sweet. Happy Birthday, Darcy! She sounds like a lucky, lucky woman,” Alex said, turning towards the camera. “We’ll be right back after this.”

She squealed so loudly and jumped up on her bed, clutching her phone, unable to form a text, so she just sent him a ton of heart-eye emojis and screamed into a pillow. It was so cute. So fucking cute, she couldn’t deal.

Her phone immediately buzzed, but it wasn’t a reply from Yanko, it was a series of exclamation points from Jane.

Darcy quickly just called her friend, who answered the phone. “OH MY GOD.”

“RIGHT?” Darcy squealed.

“You got a shout out for your birthday. And it was so dorky! God, I’m so jealous.” Jane sighed heavily as Darcy flung herself back against the pillows. “Is he getting Hurricane Darcy tonight?” her friend asked.

“And then some. He might get some cyclonic action.”

“What does that mean?” Jane asked.

“Dude, I don’t know. I’m blowing him though.”

Jane laughed out loud. They had sort of gone over the top with the weather equals sex metaphors, but they entertained themselves, and that was all that mattered, right?

“Seriously, though. Happy Birthday, Darcy.”

“Thanks, Janey.”

“You sound so happy, did you know that?”

“Do I?” Darcy asked. “Must be all the great sex I’m getting.”

“I dunno, I GUESS, but I think it’s more than that…” Jane said, trailing off a bit.

“Don’t,” Darcy said, throwing back the covers and jumping out of bed. “Just don’t, Janey. Don’t.”

“Why not?” she asked. “You guys have been together for like nine months now. If your relationship was a pregnancy, it’d be just about ready to pop out.”

“I despise that metaphor so much, you don’t even know,” Darcy groaned. “But listen. If it’s more, then it’s more. We’re trying not to focus so much on that.”

“Alright, fine,” Jane said. “So are you doing your usual thing this year?”

“Shopping alone at the fancy underwear store?” Darcy asked. “Because yep.”

“Awesome.”

“Doubly awesome because I get to model it for someone,” she said, grinning already at the thought. Yanko absolutely lost his shit when she wore pantyhose, so she was thinking something with garters was in order.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, rub it in,” Jane groaned. “Like your boyfriend isn’t off-world and doesn’t leave for literal years at a time.”

“No one said you must love an Asgardian.”

“Yeah, but it’s Thor,” Jane said.

She was right though. Darcy wasn’t sure she could resist a muscled god of thunder either. Well, maybe. When she was single maybe not. But she was pretty happy with her meteorologist.

“Okay, well, I have to go. Shower. Change. Breakfast. Coffee. Lingerie store.”

“Have fun, Darce. I’ll see you tonight?”

“You betcha.”

They hung up and Darcy jumped out of bed to do exactly those things. In that order.

* * *

Yanko called her back around eleven-fifteen. “You saw?”

“Of fucking course, dork. You’re awesome. Thank you. I feel super special.”

“Good kind of special?”

“Yes, what other kind is there?” she asked, laughing.

“I dunno. Just didn’t want to embarrass you.”

“I already told you. You can’t. I’m unembarrassable.”

“Pretty sure that’s not a word.”

“Pretty sure it is,” she replied haughtily.

“Nope, it’s not.”

“Look, stick to the rain, Weather-Boy.”

He paused, she could almost hear the words he wasn’t saying. That he wished he was with her.

“You wanna know where I am?” she asked.

“Maybe…”

“Video call,” she said, pressing the button on her screen and grinning into the camera when it loaded. “Hey there.”

He smiled, clearly in his office.

She flipped the phone around to show off all the satin and silk and lace and then brought it back to her face.

“Oh you’re… you’re…”

“Yeah, I always do,” she said. Every year, I buy fancy underwear. This year, it’s a bonus because I have someone to model it for.” She shimmied her shoulders to punctuate.

“You are aware that it’s _your_ birthday, right?”

“Oh, I know,” she replied. “Figured this would ensure that I get my present, yes?”

“You were always going to get your present,” he replied. “Can I ask what you’re…”

“You can see them after my party tonight,” she said, smirking as she did.

“I… I _really_ like you, Darcy.”

“I really like you too, Yanko. I’ll see you soon?”

He nodded. “Couple of hours. We’re going to get coffee.”

“Yep, I remember.” She waved and blew a kiss before ending the call and turning back to the lingerie selection. She was definitely going to look for something purple. She looked amazing in jewel tones, and purple was her fave.

* * *

She had the bag in hand when she met Yanko for coffee at around four in the afternoon. “Hey, you.”

“Hey,” he said, leaning down to kiss her as she threw her arms around him to lay one right on him. He blushed like crazy, but he loved it when she did stuff like that.

He was a big fan of the PDA, this one.

Yanko tightened his arms around her waist and held her close. “Happy birthday.”

“Thank you,” she murmured against his lips.

“Get a fucking room,” someone grumbled as they brushed past them. New York City.

Darcy rolled her eyes. “Coffee?”

“Absolutely.”

She had the pink bag from the lingerie store in one hand and her purse up on one shoulder as they entered the coffee shop.

“Hey… did you notice?” she asked, motioning around the interior. He glanced around, unable to hold back the grin.

“Maybe.”

Darcy beamed. It was the same shop where she’d made an idiot of herself that day many months before. Even though Yanko assured her that he found it utterly captivating and adorable. In fact, he’d found it so cute that when Rafe had set the two of them up on a date, he couldn’t believe his luck. Or the universe’s ways, really.

“Go get a table, I’ll order,” he said.

She claimed a small table in the back corner and pulled out her phone to check her email and the Slack chatroom where Pepper and Tony were planning her party.

She found quite a few happy birthday messages from a few people in there. Sam had popped in to apologize for not being able to attend, seeing as he was across the entire planet. She told him it was fine.

And by that time, Yanko had appeared with their drinks.

He had her order memorized. Which was utterly adorable.

Darcy took it from him, an iced frappuccino that was more sugar than anything else, but she only had them once in a while, so it was okay.

“So… everything ready for your party tonight?” he asked, taking a sip from his cup.

“Yep. Looks like my boss went totally overboard.”

“I can’t wait to meet this boss of yours. They seem like nice people.”

“That tracks. They totally can be nice.”

“So what time am I picking you up?” he asked.

“Seven-ish… but if you want to hang out a little this afternoon, we totally can. It’s just that Jane and Wanda are going to be there too.”

“As much as I would love to, I don’t want to intrude on your girl time.” Yanko grinned. “I’ll settle for coffee.”

“And for one-hundred percent of my attention for the rest of the weekend,” she reminded him.

“Yes. How could I forget?”

“Also the contents of this bag,” she said, tilting her head towards the pink bag on the table. She snatched it away from him just in time. “Don’t peek, I want to surprise you.”

“There could be nothing in there and I’d still devour you, you know that, don’t you?”

She blushed and moved the bag away all the same. “Now I have an idea for _your_ birthday.”

He inhaled sharply. “You’re a menace, Darcy Lewis.”

“Nah… I’m not either. You know you love me.”

He didn’t respond, just smiled a little like he had some great big secret. He did love her. She could tell. But he wasn’t going to say it until he was ready. And given his history, she was fine with the cute little smiles.

“Still a menace,” he countered, taking another sip from his coffee.

Her drink was perfect, and by the time they’d both finished, it was time for her to meet Jane and Wanda at the spa. She gave him a lingering kiss and called for an Uber.

* * *

Once she’d left the spa, she felt polished and primed, and completely gorgeous. Of course, she still had to put on that fancy underwear and her cute dress and do her hair and makeup.

That all took a little longer than she wanted to admit. Mostly because she wanted to put on fake eyelashes. She was pulling rollers out of her hair when Yanko arrived at her place.

“Hey!” she greeted him. “I just need a couple more minutes to get these out of my hair, okay?”

He took a seat at a stool by her counter to wait. She took out the rest of the rollers and fluffed out her curls before slipping on her shoes and walking out to the kitchen.

“Wow,” Yanko said, eyeing her up and down as she gave a little twirl. “You look… wow.”

Darcy giggled and stopped moving, her eyes scanning the countertop and landing on a bag that hadn’t been there before.

“Is that for me?” she asked, nodding towards the bag.

“Yeah, it’s yours, but I’d like you to open it when we get back… if that’s okay?”

“Totally.”

“Did you notice?” She hiked up her skirt just a little to flash the tops of her stockings.

“That’s so unfair. I’m going to be aroused for the rest of the night now.”

Darcy poked out her bottom lip and moved closer to him, wrapping her hands around his shoulders. “Awww… we could always bang it out before we leave.” His hands teased along the hem of her skirt. She could totally get behind that.

Or he could get behind _her_.

He ran his tongue over his teeth, his eyes darkening. “And mess up your hair and makeup? That would be a travesty.”

“Can you not do it without messing up my hair? You _animal_ ,” she teased.

“I’m sure I could if I tried, but I like the idea of being titillated all night.”

“Fine…” she acquiesced. “Let’s go, then. I want you to meet everyone.”

If he was nervous to meet everyone, then he didn’t show it as they stood in the elevator of Stark Tower. Darcy smoothed down the front of her dress and offered her hand as they approached Lab level four, which was the one that Tony had cleared out for her birthday party.

“So, um… who all should I expect to be here?” he asked.

He knew the barest amount of what she did and with whom, but she couldn’t reveal specific names mentioned on the NDA. He’d already signed one, so maybe it was alright to go ahead and tell him. Spring it on him that he’d be bumping elbows with Tony Stark and Bruce Banner.

“Well, you know Janie…”

“Dr. Foster? Yes. I’m familiar with her work. It’s tangential to meteorology and she utilized a lot of our research to make her tracking van. Not that it worked, but it was a valiant effort…” he trailed off when Darcy raised her eyebrows. “What?”

“You’ve got that mostly right. Except that it totally worked. We found an Asgardian.”

He frowned. “A what?”

“Asgardian. From Asgard. One of the nine realms of existence? We’re in Midgard, Thor is from Asgard, there’s Jotunheim, Niffelheim, and a few others that I’m probably forgetting.

“No, those are fictional. Mythology.”

“Myths have some basis in fact, Yanko.”

“Not these. You’re talking about deities.”

She sniffed. “Not deities. Asgardians.”

As the door dinged and opened, she moved forward, and Yanko was still sort of hanging back. “Wait. You’re telling me these people are real?”

“Yep. And he can totally summon thunderstorms. SO I bet you guys will have a ton of stuff to talk about.”

She waved her ID over the scanner on the door and it swung open. She and Yanko stepped inside to a regaling cry of greetings and happy birthdays from everyone from Steve Rogers to Bruce Banner.

She glanced up at Yanko, smirking a little.

“That’s Bruce Banner,” he whispered under his breath.

“In the radioactive flesh.”

“And Tony Stark? Of Stark Industries?”

“Yep. Close your mouth or he will definitely jump on that.”

He snapped his mouth closed and she giggled.

* * *

Once the party was over, they slipped out of the lab, after what felt like a shit ton of goodbyes. She was fairly convinced that everyone approved of her boyfriend.

There had been a distinct possibility that they wouldn’t because Thor was immediately wary of a man who was so much older than Darcy. Never mind that he was hundreds of earth years older than Jane when they’d dated, but that was beside the point. He was just being protective of his ‘lightning sister’.

She didn’t have much to worry about though. Thor had assured her that her ‘Stormcaller’ loved her.

Which was something she already knew, but it was nice to hear another person say it.

“Did that go well?” Yanko asked as they rode in the Uber back to her place.

“It went very well. You held up under Nat’s scrutiny, T-man’s awful sense of humor, Dr. B’s boring droning, and you didn’t even get drunk on Asgardian ale.”

“I couldn’t drink it. Smelled like jet fuel.”

She snorted. “Basically is, not gonna lie.”

Darcy slipped her hand into his and swung their arms when they got out at her apartment. “Are you coming up?” she asked, batting her eyelashes.

Yanko smiled at her fondly and leaned down to kiss her lips. “I was planning on it…”

“I haven’t forgotten about my present,” she said softly.

“Don’t get your hopes up, it’s nothing special,” he said, chuckling a little. “It took me an embarrassingly long time to pick it out though.

“Sounds special enough.”

He sighed. “I hope you like it.”

“If it’s from you, I know I’ll love it.”

They exited the elevator on her floor and she stopped him at the door to rise up on her toes and plant one on him.

“We are literally feet away from your door,” he reminded her, good-naturedly..’

She yanked his tie. “Couldn’t help it. You’re wearing _the_ tie.”

“So you did notice.”

“How could I forget such a dorky, perfect tie?”

She ran her fingers down the length of it, touching on each of the cloud types before fishing out her keys and opening the door.

He was the one who locked it behind them and broke off the feverish kisses she was planting on his lips. “Present first.”

“Okay, okay…” She went to sit on the sofa while he brought her the bag. It felt light.

She pulled out a ton of tissue paper and found the gift at the bottom. A plastic clamshell held it closed. And she grinned widely when she saw it.

“A pet tornado?”

He shrugged. “A reference to the first time we met? I was going back and forth between that and something pertaining to the Wizard of Oz, but I thought that might make a better anniversary gift…”

“I love it.”

“I”m glad, because…”

“Because…?” she smiled.

“Because I love you.”

She stopped short, blinking. “You what?”

“I love you.”

“Say it again.”

“I love you… and you already know this.”

“I know. But it’s nice hearing you say it.” She beamed and he mirrored her expression. “I love you too.”

“I’m glad you said that.”

She tugged on his tie to shut him up, pressing her lips to his firmly. “So like… what’s it do?”

“What’s _what_ do?” he murmured.

“The pet tornado.”

“Oh, right, well…” He took it from the counter to start setting it up, and she stood, reaching for the zipper on her dress, she let it fall down around her ankles before stepping out of it.

And when he looked up again, he gently placed her gift back on the counter and stood up to wrap his arms around her, scooping her up on his front to carry her to bed.

“So you like the stockings?” she asked.

“Fuck, Darcy, I love them…” he groaned, pressing her against the wall.

She took a deep breath and let it out as his hand slid down to tuck into her panties. Best fucking birthday ever.

**Author's Note:**

> xoxo! Thanks for reading!


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